Page 51 of The Reluctant Heir

I reach across the table and squeeze his hand. “Hey, it’s fine. That was a few years ago and it’s not like I got hurt.” I pause. “Well, maybe my ego was hurt a little.”

His shoulders relax, but only slightly. “Did this happen often?”

“Often enough that it stopped bothering me when I was about fourteen.” Or at least, that is when I stopped letting it affect me.

“The way you were treated isn’t fair,” he says.

I shrug. “It’s just the way it was. But who cares about that? It’s in the past. I’ve learned to accept who I am.”

“Have you?” Damek’s dark eyes meet mine and I feel like he’s looking into my soul. Can he see how much I’ve longed to fit in? Does he know how badly I’ve wished I weren’t a hybrid?

“I know who I am.” I don’t break eye contact. “I don’t fit into either world. I’m a vampire who doesn’t drink blood and a succubus who isn’t charming and beautiful.” He starts to argue, so I hold up a hand. “Any charm that I have is unrelated to my succubus blood. I’m talking about the magic that makes a succubus charming. I don’t have the magic.”

He nods. “Okay, maybe you don’t have succubus magic, but living with succubi and incubi has warped your idea of beauty and charm. Because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, Madeline Scott.”

I don’t know how to respond to that, but before I get the chance the waiter comes back with Damek’s blood and my latte.

I nod to Damek’s glass as our waiter walks away. “Why does ourhumanwaiter not think that it’s strange you’re drinking blood?”

“There are select humans in this town who are aware of the existence of vampires.” Damek runs his finger along the rim of his glass. “They’re compelled not to speak of it.”

My mouth opens. “I, uh, is thatlegal?”

He shrugs. “Vampires care little of what other supernaturals want. We keep the existence of others a secret. Only vampires are at risk. But it’s a calculated risk—a risk that increases our quality of life.”

Other supernaturals are dead set against humans knowing about us. There have been arguments lately that supernaturals should come out and reveal themselves but the vote has been vetoed each time. If the Supernatural Council knew that vampires were being so reckless, it would be bad. Like, possibly start a war bad.

“Don’t worry,” Damek says. “It’s been this way since long before either of us were born.”

Maybe it really will be okay if they’ve kept it a secret for that long.

I take a sip from my latte. “So, you’ve learned all about my life as a hybrid, but I know hardly anything about your life.”

He studies me. “You haven’t heard about me from Julien or your advisor who has a crush on you?”

“Kaine doesn’t have a crush on me,” I object. “But, no. I don’t know much except that our clans used to not get along.”

Damek takes a sip from his glass, the red blood staining his lips. “It’s not a pretty story. My family is complicated.”

“I can handle complicated.”

He sighs. “My dad didn’t want a political marriage. I guess he thought like you did and he wanted love. But he thought love would be impossible with a royal. So he fell in love with a human. His father forced him into a marriage, but he didn’t love her. They had me out of duty, but my dad was miserable. So was my mom. When I was two years old, she left. Vampires can’t divorce, but somehow she got the magic of their mate bond erased. And we haven’t heard from her since. My dad married the human he loved and he changed her into a vampire. I know I said I’d love to join your clan, but I can’t. My siblings aren’t eligible for the throne.”

My heart aches for Damek.

His mother left his father, but she also left Damek.

I know what it’s like to grow up with a parent missing. I thought my father didn’t want anything to do with me. I only found out recently it was a lie.

Tears press against the back of my eyes. “I’m sorry.”

This time, Damek reaches across the table and takes my hand in his. “It’s okay. I accepted what happened a long time ago. My stepmom raised me like her own kid. I’m treated the same as my other siblings, other than the expectations that come with my title. And my dad has been patient with me. He’s not forcing me to choose a wife. But I know that I’ll have to at some point.”

Damek doesn’t seem any more thrilled by the prospect than I do.

“Why is it important for heirs to marry royals only?” I ask.

“It’s the law.”

---